St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-12-11
Anril 10. 1861.


old fellows thought not. The young
fellows of to-day in the council
representing city of nearly
200, 900, cannot see the necessity of plac-
ing the names of streets and avenues at
each intersection, on lamp posts, as
guides to 1.-The stranger within our
gates"
Everywhere through the records of
the town and the early days of the city
government can be discovered the traces
of the war. Special taxes levied to pay
bountieS to men for enliSting: for aid to
soldiers families, and other purposes
growing out of the war. The cOmmun-
ity was not large, nor wealthy, nor
proud. nor particularly reSpectable-but
it was patriotic, you bet The news of
battle in which some of the Minnesota
regiments were engaged minneapolis
was represented in nearly all OF them)
would bring out the reserve resources of
the town without stint OF limit. Rec
ordS of money for the sanitary commits
sion, Christian commission, hospital
stores, bounties. and in fact everything
effecting the boys in the field or their
families at home may be found stretch
ing through the records for ten years
succeeding the firing upon Sumpter.
Here is a sample affidavit which was
intended to relieve the town OF one of
the frightful draft list.
STATE OF MINNESOTA,
COUNTY OF IIENNEPIN. &C.
This day appeared before me. notary pub
lie in and for said county, Joseph j. Young,
and hereby makes affidavit that he Joseph j.
Young is claimed by the town of MinneapO-
lis, and was a resident Of Minneapolis AT the
time of his enlistment in the United States
service. in Company ID. First Regiment Mill
oil I1lTl frN-
dence at the time of his enlistment
(Signed) JOSEPH j. NOUNG.
Sworn and subscribed to before me this
29th day of February, 1861
THos. GARDNER, Notary Public.
Those of us alive at that time remem-
Der how low the clouds hung then, and
how all business was practically SuS-
pended until the war should be fought
out with the North cOnquerOr. and we
also remember how badly frightened
the fellows were who had remained at
home for fear ''the draft would gobble
them up and force them to fight for
their country whether they
wanted to or not. The document
airy evidence proves, however,
that Minneapolis exempted from
the bounty tax the property of all
soldiers in the service. A document in
the handwriting of Oscar MalmrOS. at
that time adjutant general of the state,
shows Minneapolis to be credited with
lone % veteran for Second L. ). ). ).
Omitted States Signal Service); one %
veteran for Fifth Iowa cavalry (Brack-
ett'S battaliOn); two (2) recruits for Sec
Ond battery; ten (10) recruits for Second
battery; five o. veterans for Second in
fantry; eighteen Q9 three-year men in
Hatch'S battalion. Total. 81.
In 1867, after the town had been met
amOrphOSed into the city of Minneap-
oils, we find the following report and
action thereon by the new city council:
1.-The committee of ways and means,
to whom was referred the resolution
recommending the several funds, viz:
Special bounty fund, township fund,
old corporation fund and soldiers fam
lily fund. be put intOa general fund for
the purpose of paying off the town in
debte6neSS-recOmm its adoption"
A resolution follows which accom-
plished the desired result.
The first salaries paid by the new city
was fixed by resolution of May 3, 1867,
again drawn by Isaac Atwater) as fol-
lows:
City treasurer, $500 per year; city
comptroller. $500 per year; city clerk,
$3.50 per year: street commissioners,
81 per day; health officer, $50 per year
(nOw are you, DR.. Kilvington); city
surveyor (engineer) So per day: city at
tOTney, $500 per year. This comprised
all the paid officials of the city govern
ment, and did not reach in the aggre-
gate the sum now paid one of the Off
GERS above named. The mayor was
paid 800. This Office was filled by Hon.
ID. Morrison and there is still on
record a document wherein he declares
hot hn taI a
because of its emOlumentS, and begging
the council to pay his salary over to
sick or disabled firemen. The fire de-
partment was then volunteer. an inSti-
tuition never known to decline anything
in the way of emOlumentS, and ours of
Minneapolis certainly deserved more
than they got.
In the proceedings of the year 1867
we frequently find the name of Henry
Oswald, who had been chosen a member
of the first council. MIR. Oswald is also
a member of the present city council,
being most happy illustration
of the law of the survival of
the fittest.'' Growing, tired of
the honOrS and emoluments of
official position, and having a rather
bucolic temperament, Mr.. Oswald re-
moved away out into the country sew
eral years ago. The rapid growth of
the city overlook him, however, and his
neighbOrs of the Single Creek ward,
when that district had been swallowed
by the extension of the city limits. fired
him back into the council, where he
will probably remain for the rest of his
life unless he should decline a renomi-
nation. 1t was not until 1878 that num-
berS were Systematically affixed to the
lots and the system now in vogue per-
manently adopted. The question was
submitted to commute of the council
of that year, consisting of S. C.. Gale.
o. A. Pray and E. w. Cutter, who orig
mated and recommended the plan, an
ordinance followed. the city engineer
made plat of the city with numbers
covering every twenty-five and thirty
feet, and strangers have thus been en-
abled to find certain localities desired
without serious difficulty and loss of I'M
necessary time. Now, if the present in
telligent council would only adopt the
plan of Aid. Gibson or some other
equally convenient system of placing
the names of streets at all the intersec-
tons there would certainly rise up some
historian in the future who would call
them blessed.
The first city council of the city of
Minneapolis was held on Tuesday, Feb.
26, 1867, and was composed Of the fol-
lowing named gentlemen:
First ward, Frank l.. Morse, one year;
First ward, w III. Gaslin, two years;
First ward. Henry Oswald, three years;
Second ward, ii. q. Harrison, one year;
Second ward, S. ii. MattiSon. two years;
Second ward, n. B. Hill, three years;
Third ward, George A. Bracket, one
wear. Third ward Richard Prica two